Players must be ready to fire in Big Bash

WHEN Aaron Finch took to Shane Warne last week at Etihad Stadium, it must have been tempting for some to grant the Big Bash's marquee player leeway for a limited pre-season campaign.

After all, the in-form Renegades batsman is almost halfway through a domestic season that began in late September, whereas Warne, at 43 and six years out of the international game, had only two scratch games before being slogged for 0-41 in two overs.

But the short, sharp nature of the Big Bash season ensures teams cannot afford concessions to older stars or retired internationals, and means coaches have become adept at the global managing of players with little recent cricket.

"You can't cram all of the skills and training into the four days before the first game, it doesn't quite work. You need to have some things in place in advance," Renegades coach Simon Helmot said this week of the visiting contingent spread across the eight sides.

Readying players who are no longer part of Australia's domestic scene for the Big Bash requires international communication, information sharing and tailored fitness programs.

The Melbourne Stars had Warne maintaining his fitness in his home gym and Brad Hodge playing Premier Cricket, but in the case of Luke Wright, it was plenty of calls to the UK to ensure the allrounder was well conditioned, because by the time he arrived in Australia he had not hit a ball outdoors since the World Twenty20 in September. The remarkable performance by Lasith Malinga on Wednesday night proved the Stars' lack of concern over their Sri Lankan spearhead's fitness for the format was well-founded.

Across town, the Renegades had learned from last season that calling on too many players from outside the state system made monitoring preparations too difficult.

The Renegades last season had Pakistan pair Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq and six Australians without regular state commitments - including pacemen Shane Harwood, Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes - on their books. Helmot said a conscious decision was made to avoid that headache.

"They hadn't been involved enough in day-to-day cricket," Helmot said of last season's group.

"It's easier when you have a (state) contract because it's your job, you're in at training, at the gym, your strength and conditioning is up and you have specialist coaching, whereas if you're not a contracted player you have to do another job. So you're compromised in your training. It's been far less of a concern this season."

This year the Renegades flew Daniel Harris and Aaron O'Brien over early from Adelaide to play Premier Cricket in Melbourne, and liaised regularly with Muttiah Muralidaran while the spin great trained with domestic sides in Sri Lanka.

Helmot said Muralidaran arrived in perfect shape, and although 40, could emulate the success Brad Hogg, Warne and Stuart MacGill tasted in the inaugural season.

"I think it is easier for the older spin bowler," he said.

"The batter relies on his eye and the fast bowler relies on his body, where the spin bowler, I believe, relies on his mental craftiness. That's why they were successful in BBL I and why we believe Murali will be successful in BBL II and beyond."

Melbourne Stars strength and conditioning coach Adrian Mott said despite a lack of match practice, Warne and Wright had proven themselves ready, as the team could not afford to give players time to fire.

"It's only a six-week tournament and eight matches, so you can't afford to take a couple of games to get in the groove," Mott said.

"Warnie's fit, he's probably fitter now than when he was playing international cricket. In terms of his physical aspect, he's not limited in that regard."